Something More
by looneytails
Summary: Natsu and Lucy were friends, and then they were more. This is how.
1. Something More

**Chapter One: Something More**

 _There's something 'bout the way you sleep when you're lying next to me._

On the morning of his twenty-first birthday, Natsu Dragneel woke up to the soft breaths of his best friend. It was unusual of him to wake up before Lucy, but not unheard of, and so he simply readjusted his position in bed, pulling the sheets over them.

Happy, too, was asleep. He and Lucy had spent the previous day in the guild with last minute arrangements to the party that would take place in the evening. A surprise as it may be, Fairy Tail's brand of raucousness carried a certain predictability of which Natsu was well aware. They had exhausted themselves in preparations for celebrating his birthday and the least he could do was give them a few more hours of rest.

This didn't disappoint Natsu. A day out would have been nice, but Lucy's apartment had always pleased him, with its warmly lit rooms and the company that usually came with it. Despite what most people thought, he enjoyed tranquility. In small doses.

His impatience had proven to be a difficult friend; rashness could be useful, but it also could turn into poorly executed plans, as Erza and Lucy repeatedly told him. Natsu wanted to believe the last few years had showed them growth, even where it had not seen change.

No, the universe would need a bigger force than time if it wanted to make Fairy Tail something it was not.

Outside, summer clung to the cobblestone with an unshakable grip. The days kept getting longer and hotter, and Lucy had already started to pull out her shorts and skirts, flaunting her good mood around riverside as if the season would never end.

The last winter had been an easy one. It didn't snow in Magnolia, but the humid cold seeped through their layered clothes easily and the higher temperatures were welcomed. Even if something about the sweltering heat warned Natsu of a year of more violent extremes.

For now, the skies were clear and the sun shone down on them through the open window.

Although they weren't touching, Natsu could feel the strain of the covers and the dip of the mattress as Lucy moved, fighting against her growing awareness. He turned on his side and watched her squint her eyes at the sunlight, not annoyed, but confused as to what had awoken her.

"Good morning, Luce." He grinned. She had the strangest expressions, especially like this, with her hair twisted around and skin lined with the patterns of her pillow. This was one of the reasons why he kept sneaking into her bed, to see his partner out of what the expectations of others made her: Lucy, uncooked, unprepared.

Lucy glared at him, probably more out of habit than out of actual irritation. She no longer tried to stop his invasions of her home, given they didn't destroy anything important. Curtains and charred countertops could be replaced, but her books and clothes weren't to be touched, unless they were looking for a fight.

Happy was surprisingly okay with this, if it meant he had fish for breakfast.

"You are lucky it's your birthday," she said through her teeth, giving him a soft kick to the shin. "I should give you a lesson on boundaries."

He nudged her foot back.

"Boundaries?" He pulled his mouth into an expression of innocence. "What are those?"

Lucy snorted, but didn't push him off, as Natsu had expected. Instead, she buried deeper into the covers and closed her eyes once again.

"You are incorrigible," she said, a smile on her lips. "Happy birthday."

There were few things that Natsu remembered from his time with Igneel.

He remembered warmth and what he supposed to be the touch of his dad's claws as he drifted to sleep. He remembered that being with him felt like freedom, running around in the woods and laughing until they couldn't catch their breath, as if the rules of the world didn't apply to them.

Most of all, the boy remembered feeling like Igneel belonged to him and like he belonged to the dragon, because they were family and that… That was home.

Igneel was dead now, but the feeling had tucked itself into a corner of Natsu's heart, the only things left from a family that he would never know. His parents were gone and so was Zeref, but he couldn't find it in himself to mourn them. Those memories were lost long ago.

And Lucy was here, with Happy, with Gray and Erza, who were undoubtedly waiting for them at the guild.

There had been so many things he wanted to ask Igneel; about his biological parents, about why the dragons had agreed to raise human infants. Those questions had burned in the back of his mind for years, like a fire that could never go out. It drove him to fight and do better than he already had, because Natsu had to live and find his father.

It was that ever present desire to reunite with Igneel that led Natsu to Hargeon, where there had been sights of "the Salamander". Impulsive and somewhat clueless to his surroundings, the boy had truly believed that to be his father, not even realizing the panic that a dragon in midtown would have caused.

He could never regret it.

Meeting Lucy was a strange occurrence, with her being so kind and so warm and so true. There was really no other way of describing the girl. She had accepted her shortcomings and tried to rise above them, making sure to be thankful for those who had helped her.

"Thank you for being here." He had rolled over to stare at the ceiling. Lucy never seemed to notice, but she had a way with making him feel embarrassed.

Sure enough, she huffed, unaware of his sincerity.

"This is my apartment, you know," she pointed out. "You two are the ones who keep breaking in." Happy chose that moment to let out a low purr and shifted to curl between the two mages. Lucy sat up, running a hand through his fur. "Mavis, it feels like forever since you started doing this."

Natsu laughed.

"Yeah," he looked up at Lucy, "at least we didn't bring Erza. She has the weirdest ideas."

The girl nodded, seeming appeased for the moment. They would never forget the strange situations Erza had forced on them during missions under the guise of strengthening their trust on each other. There were only so many traumatic memories a mind could block before it completely gave up.

Lucy pushed Natsu's feet aside, moving off the bed, and he strained his neck to follow her with his eyes.

"Are you planning to stay in bed the entire morning?" she asked from her wardrobe as she sorted through what to wear.

Natsu ignored that she'd been the one to sleep in. He, after all, had preferred the comfort of her presence to raiding her fridge.

He supposed he was in no hurry for food; there would be plenty in the guild.

"Yes," he answered, plopping down onto the pillow.

Lucy stopped to glance at him. "You are such a child," she sighed. "I can't believe you're older than me."

She was dramatic like this, sometimes, but never in a bad way. Just little things, blown out of proportion with a kick or an eye roll. It made life interesting.

"By 400 years, don't you forget it!"

Her laughter carried into the room as Lucy walked towards the bathroom, high and still heavy with sleep.

Natsu had a feeling it was going to be a good day.

* * *

When they arrived at the guild, noon had come and gone, but the sun beat at the asphalt without a care. The place brimmed with people, members and visiting mages alike, who wanted a place to sit down and eat; all boisterous, though in different stages of inebriation.

Natsu didn't mind them. He'd grown up in Fairy Tail and was used to its liveliness. The energy fired his own temper, to the point where he could barely sit still. Gray contributed to it by throwing insults and challenges, in complete disregard of the grimaces Lucy kept sending over her shoulder.

She spoke to Levy and Lisanna, having left at some point during his conversation with Mira and his fight with Gray. The three girls shared secretive whispers that were lost to the uproar of those around them. Natsu supposed he would eventually find out what it was, if he needed to.

"Flamebrain, you wouldn't know good music from Gajeel's screeching," Gray taunted, crossing his arms over his now naked chest, though neither boy could tell when that had happened.

"And you would, ice prick?" Natsu glared at him. Mira moved his plate to the side, just in time to avoid his flaming fist against the counter.

"Mira herself taught me some." He gestured to the bar. "I could kick your ass on the guitar."

Although they were certainly friends, times like this had Natsu on the brink of burning that self-satisfied smirk right off Gray's face. The bastard's arrogance grated on his nerves more than Elfman's insistent advices or Laxus' superiority, and that was saying something.

"I could kick your ass _with_ the guitar!" he shouted back, standing up to tower over him.

"What does that have to do with anything?!" Gray stood too, his slanted eyes narrowed with irritation.

"Boys, boys," Mira called. She waved her hands at them and smiled, like it would be enough to settle the dispute. "Let's not fight."

A hand over his shoulder forced Natsu to sit down. He turned to see Lucy with her mouth set in a line, shoulders squared.

"Let's not destroy the guild today," she said, hard eyes shifting from one mage to the other. "You two already give me enough grief out on missions."

"When are we going on one anyway, Luce?" Natsu pouted at her. He didn't mean to whine, but the offers had started to pile up on the board and the blonde's refusal to work confused him. He knew her rent was due any day now.

"Sorry, but I'm with the pyromaniac on this one." Gray came to stand next to Natsu. "You've been dodging us on this all month."

Lucy shifted her weigh, looking down. Her cheeks colored, and it made Natsu pause, unsure on what to do in the face of her embarrassment. He hadn't meant to pry, but he couldn't remember a time in the past weeks when she'd given them a clear reason not to find new jobs.

"I–" She wrung her hands on her lap. "I have a bad feeling, and with the anniversary of my mother's death approaching…" Lucy smiled tightly. "I just wanted today to be great, so we could celebrate and maybe forget everything else."

Natsu nodded, feeling Gray do the same.

He understood, somewhat. The time around her mother's death and Igneel's disappearance was always a strange period for them, with the mixed feelings that accompanied all the situations that had lead them to Fairy Tail. Odd as it may seem, the two had more in common than anyone could have anticipated back at Hargeon.

Lucy giggled nervously, but there was no humor to it, just discomfort. "I sound silly, sorry."

"No, Luce." He frowned. "If you got a bad feeling, then we get it. You know this time of year gets on my nerves, too. Nothing to say sorry for. You're our nakama and we trust you."

The blonde stared at him for a moment. The stain of her blush didn't disappear, but her expression turned sheepish, instead of ashamed.

"Thank you, Natsu." Lucy's smile was a flutter of butterflies, tiny and pretty and genuine to a nature that could be nothing else. Somewhere deeper into the guild, a woman's voice shouted, calling out to her. "Cana," she identified, turning towards the sound. "I should see what she wants."

Lucy waved at them as she left. As soon as she was out of sight, Gray moved into her chair. He looked at Natsu with amusement, to which the dragon slayer glared.

"What?" he asked, distrustful.

Gray scoffed. "Smooth."

"What are you talking about?" Natsu didn't feel like dealing with Gray's puzzles, not on his birthday and not after finding out Lucy was worried about something. He hadn't even noticed.

"Learn to take a compliment, idiot." He signaled for Mira to bring him a drink. "That was nice of you."

Natsu shrugged. "I'm nice."

Gray snorted into his cup.

"Yeah, right." He waited for Mira to reach Erza on the other side of the bar. "You're a lot, all the time. Thoughtless, for one. Loyal, sure. But nice?"

"You gonna say you're nicer than me, slanty eyes?" Natsu could see the girls glance their way, so he lowered himself back into his seat.

Gray wasn't fazed.

"Sometimes, I guess." He took a sip of his drink. "The thing is: we're honest, plain and simple. It can come out as polite, but we aren't usually thinking that far ahead. What you said to Lucy might've been sincere, but it was mostly just to make her feel better." He smirked. "Am I wrong?"

He wasn't, but that was just another reason why Natsu wanted to punch him in the face. Still, Lucy probably wouldn't appreciate him burning the tables to a crisp only hours before the party.

"Shut up," he said instead.

"I thought so." Gray was goading him, the smug little shit that he was. "Smooth."

Before Natsu could finally snap, Erza was on them. She rested a hand on both their shoulders, with more force than necessary.

"I see you are getting along." Her tone was amiable, but her gaze pierced right through them. "I can only imagine maturity has finally caught up, now that adulthood has settled."

The two boys shared a look of caution, forcing grins onto their faces.

"We were talking about…"

"Missions!" Natsu supplied to Gray's fumbling. His own expression eased into a smile now that he remembered Lucy and their previous conversation. "Luce isn't feeling great about it, but, I don't know." He scratched his chin. "She needs rent and I'm running low on food. Maybe something around Magnolia."

Erza nodded her approval.

"Yes, I did talk to Lucy about it some days ago. I had planned a solo mission, but, taking her sentiments into account, I believe it's best for us to stay together, even for a smaller job." She smiled down at him. "That was considerate of you."

Ignoring Gray's snickering, he hummed noncommittally.

"It's funny," Erza continued after a moment, "we really are better for having known her, aren't we?"

Natsu grinned and pretended not to feel the weight of their eyes on him.

* * *

"You can't look."

Natsu scoffed, resisting the urge to just open his eyes and put an end to the whole charade. But he could still picture the smile on Lucy's face when she'd appeared at his house, and it made it difficult for him to go against her wishes. She'd probably been very tired the past month, with the party and how she'd tried to keep her worries from them.

"I won't," he promised. Her hand was rough on his, from where her whip and her writing had created calluses. Natsu liked the feel of it. He wondered if Lucy did too, if it reminded her of all she had accomplished since her days of soft, unmarred skin.

"Yeah, right." He could almost hear Lucy roll her eyes, and it made his smile grow.

Natsu stopped, tugging at her hand, and opened his eyes.

"Luce, wait a sec." He reached into his pocket and brought out an envelope. "I know you did something for my birthday or whatever, but I wanted to give ya something too." He put it on her open palm. "Happy anniversary."

Lucy shifted her gaze from the gift, then back to him. Despite her glare, a smile rose on her lips, betraying her true feelings.

"You shouldn't have!" she exclaimed. "We agreed we would use today to celebrate your birthday." Her righteous indignation amused Natsu, who shrugged.

"Yeah, but it doesn't really mean anything. Who even knows how old I am? Time travel is weird." He chuckled. "But this was the day we met. That's what I want to celebrate."

There was a pause in which Lucy just looked at him. She had her forehead creased, as if he had dropped the last edition of Sorcerer Magazine's crossword puzzle on her lap.

"How come you always remember?" Her lips tugged into a smile. "Even when it's been years, even when I tell you not to."

Natsu shrugged.

"It's nothing, really." He tapped the envelope. "Are you gonna open it or not?"

"What is it?" asked Lucy, suddenly wary. The grin on Natsu's face was as mischievous as ever, and he knew why she would be concerned. He had a habit of choosing dangerous gifts, like the cursed book from the previous year and the acid-spewing lizard from before that.

"Relax," he answered. "You're too dressed up for me to give you anything actually cool."

With a final glare his way, Lucy ripped the envelope open. She lifted the paper to her eyes, which grew wide once she'd recognized what it was.

"This is a receipt. For this month's rent." She looked up at him. "Natsu, I…"

"I know you're low on money, and we haven't gone on a mission in… I don't even know how long. I ran into your landlady and she wasn't all that happy, so I just gave her the money."

Lucy shook her head, confused. "What about earlier today? You mentioned rent."

He laughed.

"I wasn't gonna ruin the surprise, Luce."

She laughed too, turning her head to the side to hide it from him. It was a quiet thing, even more so in the middle of a Magnolia summer night, with the racket that came from the guild.

"So you just paid for me to keep my apartment. Out of the goodness of your heart." Lucy crossed her arms, feigning suspicion. "Are you sure this isn't just another plot to get into my bed?"

Natsu smiled, looking at her, then around her, to where Wendy had just halted her steps.

"Hey, Wendy!" he called out.

Lucy froze and, though he could not see it in the dim lighting, probably blushed. She worried a lot about what others thought of her and the implication in her words was clearly not lost on her.

Wendy, a few steps from them, looked mortified. "Hi," she replied. "You guys are finally here."

This seemed to snap Lucy out of her embarrassment. The blonde whirled around and grimaced at Wendy. "Oh Mavis!" she exclaimed, sending a nervous look towards Natsu. He pretended not to notice. "What time is it? Levy must be waiting for me!"

"She is," Wendy said. "You should go in. Natsu and I will be right over."

Lucy nodded, but turned inquisitive eyes towards Natsu. It was unusual for their younger friend to sound so firm and it brought an onslaught of questions over what could have possibly happened. Natsu shook his head back, trying to indicate that he was innocent in this.

"I –" She seemed to remember why they were at the guild in the first place. "I guess your surprise will have to wait." She grimaced nervously.

He watched as Lucy left. For once, she'd decided to wear a long blue skirt, instead of her usual shorts. It flowed behind her, lighter than air, and it made her look a little like the fairies in the stories Erza had told him as a child.

When he looked at Wendy again, she was staring at him, a strange glint to her gaze. It wasn't unkind – he didn't think the girl knew how to be unkind –, but it was unsettling.

"You really have no idea, do you?" she asked.

"I–" He blinked. "What?"

Wendy smiled, breaking from her previous soberness. "Ah, I'm sorry. I got a little carried away." She pulled at the sleeves of her dress. "You and Lucy have known each other for what, four years?"

Natsu felt a grin spread across his face. "I guess. Wow, that's weird. It feels like a lot longer."

Wendy laughed.

"Sometimes I wonder," she started, a strange weight in her inflection, "what we did of so good to deserve someone like her by our side." She moved towards the guild's entrance. "Enjoy the party, Natsu. It's all for you."

He followed quietly, still unsure of her reasoning.

As soon as he entered, the room exploded in cheers. People bustled around him, with good-natured punches to his arm and smiles and laughter. The familiarity of it erased the discomfort of his and Wendy's conversation, leaving only the excitement that only Fairy Tail could inspire.

At the same time, he noticed how different everything looked.

The tables had been pushed back to create a dancing floor and there was an actual band playing alongside Mira up on the stage. Natsu suddenly understood why Lucy had insisted on picking his outfit, because his guild mates were all in new clothes; raucous and tactless, but dressed for a proper celebration.

"Do you like it?" Lisanna had sidled up to him. She skimmed the room, playful and happy, before turning to Natsu.

"Yes," he answered automatically. "But why is it…"

"Kinda fancy?" she completed, to which he nodded. "Twenty-one isn't just any age. Magically, it means more stability. Legally, it means responsibility."

Natsu stuck his tongue out. "I'll drink to _that_."

Lisanna laughed, motioning for Cana, who was behind the bar.

"Besides, it was Lucy who organized everything and she wanted you to have all the traditional things. The drinks, the food, the ceremony."

"Why?" he asked. He was never big on tradition, especially given how he'd been raised. Normality just wasn't in the cards for him.

"Because you never had this before, did you? We are your family and we wanted you to know that some of these things might be a bore for the rest of us, the planning and such, but we're willing to do it. For you."

Her words echoed what Wendy had just said, but they didn't feel like an accusation, just a fact; just a reminder that he was loved.

Natsu looked around them.

Gray and Juvia were with Lyon, laughing as their drinks spilled over the counter. Rogue and Frosch sat at a table, ignoring what seemed to be an argument between Sting and Yukino. Gajeel was dancing with Levy, swinging her around in a way that almost knocked down the other dancers.

"They don't seem bored," he pointed out.

"Well," Lisanna laughed, "Lucy knows how to throw a party."

"Thanks," Lucy said as she approached them, two drinks in her hands. "These are for you. Cana is a bit busy with Elfman and Wakaba."

"The guild does look wonderful, Lucy." Lisanna took one of the glasses. "I can't believe you convinced my brother to help."

"What can I say?" Lucy smirked. "Birthday ceremonies are manly."

Natsu snickered, all too aware of Elfman's susceptibility to manipulation. "You two scare me."

Lisanna ignored him, linking her arm to Lucy's.

"I promise to work just as hard when it's your turn. Mira and I will have everyone in ball gowns."

Lucy nodded, not quite sheepishly, but clearly touched. "Even Natsu and Gray?"

"You can count on it!"

The two laughed at the expression of horror that took Natsu's face.

He didn't doubt them. Lisanna could be as terrifying as Mira when she wanted to, and Lucy had the strongest will he'd ever faced. Together, they could probably take on Erza.

From the other side of the room, Levy waved him over. To Gajeel's obvious annoyance, they had stopped dancing and were waiting at the edge of the stage. Gray and Erza had joined them at some point and they too gestured for Natsu to catch Lucy's attention.

"Oh, I suppose it's time to begin," said Lisanna. She pulled away from Lucy, pushing the other girl forward. "Go on, you two. I'll go help Cana."

Natsu squinted his eyes at Lucy. "What is about to begin?"

She shifted under his gaze. "It's a custom from, well, from when I lived with my father. Once you reached twenty-one, there was a party," she motioned to the crowd around them, "and you had a ceremony in which you danced with your family. It was silly of us, but…"

He smiled. "That _is_ silly, you weirdo. How am I supposed to dance with the entire guild?"

Lucy glared at him.

"For mages, it's almost a ritual, it settles your soul. After everything we went through with Zeref, I thought it would be nice." She paused, then continued walking. "I thought it would help."

She knew he had been having trouble with nightmares. It wasn't as bad as right after the war, but his magic still felt unstable sometimes, as if he couldn't completely trust it.

Natsu followed after her.

"Hey! I didn't say I wasn't gonna do it!"

They reached the group just as Wendy appeared on stage. She smiled down at him, and the joy in it was enough to make the whole party worth it.

"Hello, everyone," she said shyly, to a boisterous response of the guild. "I'll keep this short. Natsu, after Grandine disappeared, I thought I was never going to have a family again. I was wrong and I have you to thank for that. So today I'm here as your sister, to start the ritual." Wendy clapped her hands in front of her chest, creating a wave of magic energy, and her hair undulated in the air as she floated down to the dance floor. "Happy birthday."

Mira started singing, once more.

Natsu took Wendy's hand and sent her into a series of spins. She giggled, the magic crackling at the edges of her dress. He didn't know what to do with his feet and she stepped on his toes more than once, but all the two could do was laugh as the song progressed.

"You guys went all out." They'd just rounded back to the stage, and Natsu awkwardly tried to accompany the lively rhythm, even as the beat picked up.

Wendy hummed her agreement, pulling him by one hand and grabbing onto an unsuspecting Gajeel with the other.

"Bunny girl better know she has hell coming for her," he said to Natsu, scowling, but did nothing to stop Wendy as she led them across the floor.

Always one to do things his way, instead of reaching out a hand, Gajeel seized the collar of Natsu's shirt and closed their circle. Despite struggling with the hold, Natsu could feel the chain they'd created intensify the buzz of magic around them. It slithered from one to the other, like a serpent moving through branches.

Maybe that was where the ceremony came from, the idea of a family tree and such. He would have to ask Lucy about it.

With a shove from Gajeel, Natsu found himself in the middle of the dance floor as the song melted into a deeper tune. Suddenly Erza was on him, a hand on his hand, the other on his waist. She waltzed her way back to the stage, despite Natsu's resistance.

After a brief struggle, he let her. There was no stopping Erza when she wanted to put on a show, and Natsu was not interested in the damage that trying would ensue. He shifted along as best he could, making sure not to hurt himself on the heels of her sandals.

"I imagine you are surprised with the lack of choreography, but Lucy would not allow me anything more complicated," she explained. "It appears to be frowned upon for the birthday person to know beforehand."

Natsu didn't know if this was true or not, but he would have to thank Lucy. He didn't think his spine would have survived any more dance lessons.

"I'm not much of a dancer, anyway." He wanted to shrug, but didn't dare break his stance.

"You have gotten better at this," she remarked, moving him into a spinout.

"That's 'cause you didn't try to dip him, this time," Gray interceded. He grabbed Natsu's free hand, pulling him away from Erza, and the two stepped into a quicker beat. "Happy birthday, or whatever."

"Why are you even doing this?" Natsu readjusted their hands. When they touched, he was usually trying to hit Gray over the head or send him across the guild. This truce was way out of their comfort zone.

"Because you're my best friend and I probably owe you my life." Gray grimaced. "But I'm never saying any of this again."

Natsu snickered, elbowing him on the ribs. "Finally admitting it, then?"

"You wanna start a fight? Seriously, the shit I do for Lucy."

"Should've just said no. Not like I wanted to dance with ya." They galloped across the floor, and Lisanna had to pull one of the tables out of the way to avoid their aggressive steps.

"And risk the combined wrath of Lucy and Erza? Yeah… no, thanks."

Natsu bared his teeth at him. He squeezed Gray's shoulder and, in return, felt ice start to enclose his fingers.

"Popsicle breath," he growled.

"Flame brain," Gray fired back.

"Ok, that's enough." Lucy pushed them apart, slipping into Natsu's arms. "If you guys mess with this decoration, I'm sicking Erza on you."

Gray snickered behind them. Although Natsu didn't like his self-satisfied expression, he could do little when Lucy had her arms around his neck.

Like Wendy, the magic clung to her hair, to the fabric of her skirt. Unsure of where to put his hands, Natsu settled for resting them on the curve of her waist, against the sliver of flesh that peeked from where her top ended.

"You seem happy," she said. He supposed he had seen this smile before – the way she looked down a little, how he could see the redness flooding her cheeks –, but never as brightly, never as fondly.

"I am," he answered, grinning. "I don't think I've ever told you how happy I am that I met you back at Hargeon."

Her eyes shot up to meet his, open and uneasy, and then they shifted to his lips, quick as if it had never happened.

Lucy pressed a little closer and his hold on her tightened. They swayed to the gentle beat, letting the quietness fall around them.

It was the truth, though one he had never expected to tell her. They had been connected by their pasts, a tangled mess from times he could no longer remember, when Zeref had been kind and Igneel had been alive. They were fated to meet and to die.

Yet, there they were. They had challenged every possible outcome and paved their own destinies, in the way that only Fairy Tail could.

Natsu remembered being afraid for her.

Lucy had proven herself, but being a worthy mage hadn't always stopped people from dying. Even now, most of his nightmares were still of her: Lucy tied to a chair, unmoving; future Lucy lying broken after saving her past self; Lucy, beaten and chained to a wall, smiling in spite of herself. Lucy, Lucy, Lucy.

He leaned down to touch their foreheads, smiling at the feel of her. She really was his best friend.

Silence set, followed by a round of applause, and he felt the magic simmer, then die down. The song had ended and so had the ritual.

Lucy pulled away, still blushing.

"That wasn't so bad, was it?" she breathed out, a nervous quality to her voice, just as Happy flew over them.

Natsu laughed. "It was kinda fun! What did you think, Happy?"

The exceed popped his wings away and fell to the ground, nodding. "Yes! And Carla agreed to dance with me!"

Lucy and Natsu shared a look of surprise.

"Did she really?" the blonde asked. "That's certainly a reason to celebrate. Not as if we have any other reason."

Natsu snickered at her tone. Happy was too busy in his excitement to notice she was making fun of him.

"C'mon, buddy," he threw an arm around Lucy's shoulders and pretended not to notice the way she tensed. "You have to tell us everything."

* * *

"Will you need help transporting the gifts home?" Erza asked. She had two pieces of strawberry birthday cake with her, but Natsu suspected none of those were for him.

"Nah." He shrugged. "Lucy and Happy are helping. Whatever we can't carry, I'll just leave somewhere in the guild to grab later."

Erza nodded, but she seemed surprised, if not a little exasperated. "You are going back to Lucy's apartment? I hope you are not overstaying your welcome."

"We're always welcome at Lucy's." He took a bite off his flaming meal. "She leaves the window open and everything."

This didn't appease her.

"I am reasonably certain that Lucy leaves her window open because of the weather. I doubt she has agreed to have both of you invading her space so often."

Natsu didn't want to start a fight with Erza, not just as the party ended, but he couldn't think of anything that would placate her obvious irritation. He wasn't going to stop visiting Lucy, he and Happy would continue to sleep on her bed and eat her food. For years they'd been like this.

Maybe it was strange, but he didn't know how to break out of this habit. When they'd first met, he'd wanted to be around her, had enjoyed the scent of her books and the warmth of her room. Now, whether he wanted it or not, it was home in a way that his little shed in the woods never could be.

"It's not like I have any space left in my house," he said instead.

Erza considered this, tilting her head to the side and taking a bite of the second piece of cake.

"I suppose that's true." She turned to look at him. "That place is a dump."

Her lips tugged into a smile and they both cracked, laughing.

"It's close to the river. Fishing is cheaper than buying whatever Happy wants."

"Oh yes," she replied, "because you need that money to pay Lucy's rent, isn't that right?"

Natsu lifted his eyes to her, caught by surprise. There was nothing on Erza's face that indicated what she thought of this, but he knew it wasn't good news for him.

"She didn't have enough money," he said simply.

"I helped you earlier today, with Gray," she sighed, "but it is unusual of you to be so helpful."

Natsu chose to take offense to this.

"You saying I ain't helpful?"

She lifted an eyebrow, straightening her posture to loom menacingly over him. "Yes," she deadpanned. "Which raises the question of what are your true intentions towards Lucy."

"I have no intentions towards her." He frowned. "She's my best friend."

"You are not getting any younger, Natsu, and we do live in a difficult world. Wasting intentions is also a waste of time."

"There's nothing there, Erza."

She gave him a fulminating look. "Then maybe I am not the one with whom you should be having this conversation."

He bristled. "What do you want me to say?"

"I want you to tell me what happened today on the dance floor, because it did not look like nothing from where I was standing."

She was right, even though he didn't want to accept it. The whole day, he had been stuck to Lucy's orbit, so completely involved in their anniversary and her preparations for this party. And then the dance had happened and he hadn't been able to get her alone for three hours.

"I don't know what happened, Lucy and I just…" he trailed off. For a second there, Natsu had thought Lucy was going to kiss him.

For a second, he had wanted her to.

Something in his expression must have worried Erza, because she broke their stare.

"I am sorry. I shouldn't have said anything." She turned back to her plate. "Who am I to meddle when my own thoughts are so jumbled?" She laughed dryly.

Natsu knew she was thinking of Jellal, had been thinking of him for the past four years. He didn't know what exactly stopped them from being together, but his opinion on the matter probably wouldn't change Erza's mind.

"When I think of home," he told her, "I think of Lucy. She's my best friend, Erza. That's it."

The redhead nodded, still not looking at him.

"I believe I raised you well, Natsu, in spite of your brashness."

He grimaced. "You didn't raise me at all. Grandpa was the one who took me in."

Erza smiled at the mention of Makarov. They missed him, but the pain had given way to understanding. There wasn't a mage in Fairy Tail who wouldn't die for their guild.

"He would have enjoyed today's celebration," she said. "So would Igneel."

"Maybe." Natsu leaned back into his seat and watched as Happy stumbled towards them from the dance floor. "I'm just glad you guys are here."

"He likes us!" Happy sing-sang, stretching his vowels as he always did.

"Not much of a secret," said Erza. She had finished her cakes and seemed to have deemed their conversation finished. "Tell Lucy not to worry, that I will bring over whatever gifts are left here. I had intended to visit soon, anyway."

Happy nodded. "She's with Levy, if you wanted to say goodbye."

"I will go do that, then." With one last wave, she was gone.

Natsu downed his drink as Happy flew onto the seat next to him.

"Ah, I'm about ready to go home!" He rubbed a hand over his belly, grinning down at the exceed.

"Lucy's too." Happy was smiling, watching the people who still danced. Natsu could tell he was thinking of the time he'd spent with Carla. "She said we should grab her before we go." He pouted. "She doesn't trust me near her fridge on my own."

Natsu chuckled, ignoring the sudden lurch of his stomach. He probably shouldn't have eaten that last portion of chicken. He wasn't in the mood to handle the bubbling sensation that now spiked inside his chest.

It was funny, though, that Lucy hadn't even considered going home without them.

* * *

 **This might be the oddest thing I've done in a while, posting to ffnet once again. I have had this chapter written in my computer for a very long time and since I'm almost finished with the second chapter, I thought I should post it before FT actually ends. So this is a pick me up after the last few FT chapters. I hope you guys will like it.**


	2. Everybody Talks

**Chapter Two: Everybody talks**

 _Just know you're not alone, 'cause I'm gonna make this place your home._

Lucy looked up from her book to stare at Erza. She was confused as to how they had gotten into this topic, but if there was something the blonde mage had learned, it was to never question the unsubtlety of Fairy Tail.

"No, I like my apartment," she said and pretended to focus once more on her story.

Erza flipped through a few loose pages of manuscript, the picture of nonchalance and, so, clearly involved in whatever she was trying to discuss with Lucy.

"You do know there is a vacancy now that Levy is moving in with Gajeel, don't you?"

Lucy didn't pause before nodding. She already knew, was glad for her friends, even if the whole situation made her a little uncomfortable. Levy was happy, of course, but she couldn't help feeling that it was all too soon, that they were too young.

Lucy could barely decide on what missions to take, she couldn't imagine committing herself to someone else so fully.

"Hm, yes, I just hadn't considered Fairy Hills." She put her book down, deciding it was better to just get through this conversation. "I'm fine where I am."

Erza gave up any pretense of disinterest, and the intensity in her eyes was enough to make the other recoil.

"When was the last time Natsu and Happy slept here?"

 _Ah_ , Lucy realized, there it was.

It was true that Erza was a bit of a traditionalist. She had the strangest sense of propriety, with a very tortuous line over what kind of proximity was allowed and at what point it all became too much. Lucy suspected it derived from her desire to be physically protected and comforted, or maybe from the master's misled ideas of how to raise a girl while also dealing with Natsu and Gray.

Sharing came easily to them, she knew. While Lucy had grown up in finishing schools, receiving the best education that money could buy, most of her guild mates had been raised in Fairy Tail, in the middle of fights and among the wildest of Magnolia.

Which was why she hadn't expected Erza to start disapproving of her situation with Natsu.

"Maybe last week?" she admitted after a moment of consideration. "They have behaved since I last kicked them out. I think Happy might be afraid I'll force-feed him cat food again."

She didn't want to mention that Natsu had spent the 7th in her house. He hadn't seemed particularly sad, but Lucy knew that he often disguised such feelings under his raucousness. The anniversary of Igneel's disappearance couldn't be easy on him – on any of the dragon slayers, really – and she had been more than willing to allow him into her room.

They had lazed around on her floor while Natsu burned patterns into the leather cover of one her new journals, and she had cooked him dinner in return.

It had been nice.

Erza smiled, but there was still reproach in the set of her mouth.

"Fairy Hills would be a much more effective impediment," she pointed out.

Lucy sighed, not knowing what to say. The truth was that she didn't mind their presence. Most days, it was a relief. Even before living by herself, she would often be alone. The servants from her father's house had liked her, but they also had orders to follow and weren't supposed to socialize while at work.

Natsu appeared when he wanted, always loud, always chaotic. He was incredibly different from the people she'd grown up around, but that was probably why she'd accepted him so quickly into her life.

"I don't think I have enough money for Fairy Hills." Lucy stood up to put some of the books back on the shelf. "And Natsu or no Natsu, I like the privacy here."

Erza watched her. Lucy didn't know what her friend was looking for or what she was seeing. It unnerved her to be the target of Erza's scrutiny, but she knew there was no easy way to approach this without also being unexpectedly blunt, and while she didn't want to start an argument, the prospect of it seemed more appealing than a morning of vague warnings.

"What is Natsu to you, Lucy?"

She supposed this was a fair question. Lucy herself had given it some thought at times, when Mira was being the hopeless romantic that she was or when Levy's growing relationship with Gajeel filled her head with possibilities. As it was, Natsu was just Natsu, the boy who had gotten her into Fairy Tail and proceeded to change her life.

"He's my best friend," she replied with a shrug, ignoring the concern in Erza's eyes.

"Yes," the redhead said slowly, "that's what he keeps telling me. And yet," she turned to gaze out to the clouded sky, "you have left your window open."

Lucy frowned. "It's warm."

"It's raining," Erza retorted. "I am not trying to confuse you, but he does see the window as an invitation. I find it doubtful that you wouldn't have realized it already."

If she was in the habit of being honest with herself, maybe Lucy would have agreed, but the fact was that she had years of polite denial under her belt and obliviousness had been quite a friend during her years with her father. Back then, as long as she didn't acknowledge the scared servants, the coldness in Jude's voice or the lingering looks of his visitors, she could go on living.

Now, it was a matter of recognizing something in herself that she wasn't actually ready to see. So she didn't.

"I love the rain, Erza" she said with a sigh. "Natsu is just a side-effect."

Erza looked as if she wanted to discuss this further, but seemed to think better of it.

Outside, the whole of Strawberry Street smelled of damp earth, mixed with the salty scent of the river. It had nearly overflowed the previous night, for the summer was proving to be a humid and fustigating one.

"I do love this weather," the redhead conceded. "In spite of the suffocating heat, there is something refreshing about gray skies."

Lucy hummed her agreement. "Time doesn't go as quickly, I guess." She laughed. "Suspended, but less troublesome than what happened back in Tenrou Island."

The two shifted around the room. Erza got up to put a book inside an open trunk and Lucy reorganized the papers on her desk in several short piles.

"Do you think we would have been happier, had we awakened earlier?" asked Erza.

The blonde paused, and the papers crumpled in her hands.

"I could have met my father one last time." She swallowed. "I don't know if it would have made me happier."

Erza nodded.

They all had complicated feelings towards their parents and guardians, but Lucy was the one who had to grow up under her father's influence and the pressures of high society. Even if he had regretted his behavior in later years, Jude Heartfilia was a difficult person to consider.

"Maybe it was best like this," said Erza. "Redemption is a lot easier when we die for our sins."

Lucy looked at her friend, compassion and pity stirring in her chest, but Erza didn't meet her eyes. There was still a lot about their childhood that they didn't talk about.

She wanted to tell Erza that they should forgive themselves, at some point, for the things they did not do or the things they couldn't stop from happening, but it was an effort that would do more harm than good. If the redhead was not ready to move past it, the advice served a better purpose while locked behind her lips.

"I think I would rather live, for now." She forced a laugh. "I've had enough almost-death experiences to last my entire life."

"And it is a beautiful day to stay home," Erza added, to which Lucy's smile softened.

"Are you heading to the guild?"

"Yes, though I do not plan to stay for long. Why?"

Lucy hesitated. "If you happen to see Natsu or Happy, tell them that some of the fish they brought is gonna go bad. They should either drop by for dinner or just come take it out of my hands."

Erza eyed her with what must have been reproach, but Lucy held her gaze as innocently as she could.

"I suppose I will tell Natsu to come home," she said with an odd smile. "It is raining, after all."

Before Lucy could properly form her rebuttal, the mage had already crossed the room towards the door and left.

* * *

Natsu and Happy arrived an hour later with the grace of a confounded elephant. They somersaulted through the window and hit one of Lucy's flowerpots on the way down, crashing to the floor with one loud bang, in a cloud of dry soil.

Lucy rushed into her bedroom, an umbrella at hand, and deflated as she recognized the invaders.

"Don't you two know how to use the door?" she shrieked. "I invited you here!"

Happy recovered instantly, flying away from a flung book. Natsu, however, looked up just in time to see a blur of motion as Lucy struck a kick to his chest, which sent him back onto the ground.

"Did you have to?" Happy piped up from his perch at the bedframe, not looking particularly worried.

Lucy glared at him, but reached down to pick up the fragments of her pot.

"You two just don't learn," she complained. "Look at this mess. You're cleaning it, I hope you know."

Natsu leaned against the foot of the bed, rubbing his ribs.

"Lucy's in a bad mood today," he mumbled under his breath.

Lucy bristled. She threw the shards in the garbage and willed herself not to send him flying out the window. She had called him in, had wanted them there.

"I'm not." She glared. "I just don't appreciate the destruction you two bring."

Happy pouted at her, but even this was a better admission of guilt than Lucy had expected. It was always like this, she knew. Her anger came in bursts of energy, but it didn't last.

Her friends knew exactly how to handle her.

"I'll get ya another plant." Natsu stretched out on her floor, avoiding the patch of dirt they'd left. "We have so many."

Happy nodded. "So many, Lu-cy." He swung his arms around. "Much prettier, too, 'cause we know how to care for 'em."

She sent him a look. "You want me to mix cat food with your dinner again, cat?"

Natsu laughed at them. He watched as Happy scampered away from Lucy and was silent still as they chased each other around the room.

He looked comfortable lying on her floor, with his hands behind his head and the contentedness of his expression. If her conversation with Erza hadn't been so fresh in her mind, Lucy wouldn't have thought to question it, but the redhead's words rang true. This wasn't normal, not even for best friends.

They were comfortable with each other, ok, but the intimacy of it was strange. Natsu was not one to care for blurred lines and it showed in how easily he'd fit her into his life. And that was the truth, she supposed. In a way, he was the common denominator amongst all the things that she cherished in life.

He hadn't saved her, by any means, but he had opened a door and she'd walked right through it.

Lucy stopped running after Happy and flopped down next to Natsu.

"You feeling better?" he asked, not bothering to look at her.

She sighed. "Who said I wasn't feeling well in the first place?"

"I know you, Luce." He snickered. "I don't need anyone telling me anything."

He was a strange character, with how oblivious he always looked and how observant he could be. Natsu certainly paid attention when it came to his friends, but maybe, if Lucy allowed herself the narcissism, it was all because he paid attention to her, in particular.

What a scary thought.

"I'm fine," she said softly. "I just want a quiet day. I don't feel like going to the guild or having everyone breaking into my apartment."

Natsu tugged at her blouse until she laid down, and she rested her head on his arm, trying to clear her mind.

"You could read us a story!" Happy chimed in. He had been sweeping the dirt into a dustpan, but now moved closer to her desk. He was way too interested in Erza's books; to see how racy its content was, no doubt.

"No!" She pretended to try to kick him. "And keep away from those shelves! I have my mother's books there and I won't hesitate to _turn_ _you_ into cat food if you so much as breathe at them the wrong way."

Happy stuck his tongue at her, but complied. He shuffled away from the shelves, eying the other objects in the room with curiosity.

"Maybe you _could_ read us a story," Natsu suggested. "Not one of those weird ones that Erza likes, but one from your mother's collection."

Lucy curled further into his hold.

"The fairy tales? I didn't think you would like those. They are very romantic." She pinched his side, and Natsu twisted away in response, only to then roll over to fake-smother her.

"I'm serious!" he exclaimed between laughs. "If you like it, I'm sure I'll like it."

It was such a non-Natsu thing to say – and also so completely him – that she couldn't help it, Lucy put her arms around his waist and just hugged him for a moment. Natsu tightened his grip around her shoulders, seemingly unaffected by her sudden affection.

"Okay," she breathed out, her voice so quiet that she could almost wonder if they'd heard her at all. "I can read you a story."

"Something about the stars?" Happy asked. For once, he didn't comment on their proximity and watched quietly as they detached from each other and sat up. He'd put away the dustpan.

"Something about an adventure!" Natsu exchanged a look with the exceed, more excited than affectionate now.

Lucy rolled her eyes at them. "No princes?"

Natsu grinned at her, full of pointed teeth and mischief. "Never really liked princes. I prefer dragons."

"I figured." She ran a hand through her hair, trying her hardest to suppress her sarcasm. "How about a heroine, then?" She looked down at her hands. "Mom used to love telling me stories about girls who made their own destinies."

Natsu nudged her with his foot.

"That's awesome! She sounds like an incredible woman, from everything you say. A worthy mage, too."

"I don't know much about that." Lucy brought her knees to her chest. "I know so little about her magic. I think father didn't want her encouraging me, but she did." She snapped her eyes to him. "Do not say you wish you could have fought her. I'll kick you out."

Happy snorted. "Natsu wouldn't fight your mother, Lucy. That would be like fighting Porlyusica."

Lucy lifted an eyebrow at him,

"Porlyusica would kick his ass."

"Exactly!" Happy ignored Natsu's outraged cry, which was only repeated when Lucy nodded her head.

"You ganging up on me?" The dragon-slayer scowled at them.

"Are you trying to tell me you weren't thinking about fighting my mother?" Natsu opened his mouth to defend himself, but hesitated. Lucy sighed. "I thought so."

He shrugged. "Well, at least you know I think she'd be good. That's how ya know I respect someone. When I wanna fight them."

The blonde rested her chin on her knees, glaring at him.

"You never fought me."

Natsu laughed. "Of course not, Luce. Why would I fight you when I'm trying to protect ya?"

She blinked, unsure of how to respond.

He was sincere, she could tell, but it was also an odd thing to say. As far as she knew, Natsu had never shied away from a fight, even among friends. He was constantly defying Gray and Erza, had even sent a few invitations her way, though he had never actually tried to coax her into action, like with the others.

Embarrassed, and even more confused over her embarrassment, Lucy felt her temper flare up. "Do you want to hear the story, yes or no?!"

Natsu held up his hands, but seemed otherwise unaffected by her outburst. He chortled out a laugh, before pulling himself up and moving towards the books Happy had earlier inspected.

"Are these all your mother's?" Lucy narrowed her eyes at him. "I'm serious, I wanna hear a fairy tale."

For all that she'd previously agreed, there was something uncomfortable about letting Natsu and Happy into a habit she'd previously shared only with her mother. As far as she knew, not even her father had known of these stories, tucked away into Layla's writing room as they were.

"Yeah, they were hers." Lucy sighed. "After she died, I inherited most of her belongings. The keys, the books. The servants helped hide it from my father. He was so lost then, I don't think he even noticed anything. He sure didn't bother with me."

She didn't need to look at them to know that they were at loss of what to say. She hadn't meant to sound bitter, but there were memories that still carried too much resentment, even after everything her father had done since. To love him and to forgive him were two very different things.

"Don't be sad, Lucy," Happy appeared at her knees. He nudged his head against her leg. "You're here now."

She gave him a watery smile.

"Read us this one." Natsu sat down again, dropping a book on her lap. "It says it's about a homeless girl who goes on a journey and gives away her last possessions to others in need. Then the stars help her in thanks." He looked at her, his grin full of meaning, full of something she couldn't quite understand. "Sounds kinda familiar, right?"

Lucy peered down at The Star Talers, with the little blonde girl on its cover, and chuckled.

Happy was right. She was with them now.

* * *

"This is not what I had in mind when I asked you to move the books, Lu." Lucy looked up to see Levy giggle behind her hand, watching her with amusement.

Shaking away her thoughts, she realized she'd been putting some of the volumes back on the shelves they'd just spent the afternoon emptying. She bowed her head.

"Sorry, Levy, I guess I'm just not all here today."

The girl hummed, eyes narrowed in what Lucy imagined was her attempt to look scrutinous. She couldn't blame Levy for not believing her, but she wasn't looking forward to having this conversation again.

All week, Erza's words had been on the back of her mind, a stain on her rose-colored glasses, blurring away certain lines. Natsu had seemed less intrusive and more caring, his gestures appeared almost calculated, and she'd begun to count on his presence in her apartment.

It didn't help that Happy had decided to spend the week with her. He believed to be on the brink of progress with Carla, which apparently meant he needed to be around Lucy to absorb the "mushiness" of her stories. As a result, they hadn't spent more than two days without Natsu barging in.

Lucy wanted them out, but she also didn't want to hurt their feelings as collateral damage of her own confusion.

"Is this about, you know," Levy worried her lip, "Gajeel and I? Because you know nothing is going to change. I would never abandon you for him."

She felt bad for making Levy worry. It was not her fault, even if the progression of her relationship with Gajeel had sent Lucy into a bit of a tailspin.

She didn't think she would lose her friend, but it was certainly a new chapter of life for Levy, and it was strange for Lucy to find herself, well, left behind. It hadn't helped that she could trace so many similarities between Gajeel's treatment of Levy and Natsu's behavior towards her; the protectiveness, the teasing, even their shared disregard for personal space.

"No, Levy!" Lucy put the books aside. "I'm sorry. I'm just distracted, I swear."

Levy nodded, but didn't go on packing. She shifted her weight from one leg to the other, before moving towards her desk, which was still covered in scrolls and photographs.

"It is a lot, though, isn't it?" She chuckled, but there was more nervousness than humor to it. "We have known each other for a long time, but it still feels so new, sometimes. I don't want others to think we are rushing into it."

She picked up one of the picture frames, from which Gajeel scowled at them, accompanied by a laughing Lily and a blushing Levy. Lucy didn't remember that day all too well, but she knew the photo had been taken almost two years previously, when Wakaba had interrupted Gajeel's first attempt at a confession.

It was a memory Levy treasured, and this, more than her words, ignited the guilt inside Lucy's chest.

"You deserve to take this risk. Don't let anyone make you ashamed of it." She took the frame from Levy, putting it aside in order to hold her hands. "Don't let _me_ make you ashamed of it. I promise I support your decision, no matter how absent-minded I am right now."

Levy let out a watery giggle.

"I am–" She choked on her tears. "I am so happy. Droy and Jet are finally in a good place in their lives, Magnolia hasn't seen an attack in I don't even know how long, and Gajeel…" She laughed. "Gajeel is so happy. Sometimes I don't even know what to do with myself."

Lucy laughed as well, swallowing back her own tears.

She had been selfish; there would be a time to tell Levy she was sorry, to explain, but this was not it. Her friend was finally settling into calm normality and Lucy could not resent her for it. Her fears towards commitment of this kind shouldn't come in the way of Levy's happiness.

The two embraced, giggling in each other's arms.

"Hysteric again, shrimp?" Gajeel piped up from the door. He held several cardboard boxes, his hair tied away from his face, and Lucy marveled at how different he looked from the first time she'd seen him. It could be because she'd gotten to know him, but she reckoned there was something softer about him now, a serenity that was probably closely related to Levy's presence.

"Oh, shush." The girl let go of Lucy, drying her eyes. "I'm just emotional. This place has been my home since forever."

Gajeel deposited the boxes over the table and stepped forward to mess up her hair.

"People hear ya say that, they'll think I'm making you move halfway to Bellum."

When Levy pouted, he leaned down to peck her on the lips, much to Lucy's amusement.

"I'm never getting used to that," the blonde joked. "You guys do have company, you know, Gajeel?"

He fixed her with an unimpressed glare. "Don't push it, bunny girl. If you're thinking I forgot about Salamander's stupid party, you're in for a surprise."

Lucy knew there was a time when his threats would have made her cower, but she couldn't bring herself to be afraid of him anymore. Gajeel had proven himself an ally and even a friend, at times. She scoffed at him, instead, which prompted another laugh from Levy.

"She's helping me move, Gajeel." Levy picked up some of the books Lucy had replaced on her shelves and shoved them into one of the boxes. "I'm sure you can let this one go."

He shrugged, nudging Lucy's head affectionately in what she could only imagine to be an apology.

"Yeah, yeah…" He hurled some boxes onto his shoulders. "I'm taking these to the car. Mavis knows Scarlet isn't gonna let me keep that thing for long."

Levy rolled her eyes, but didn't give him much attention as he brushed past her. Lucy could tell her friend was pleased, even though there were still tearstains marring her cheeks.

"On the subject of home... What about you, Lucy?" Levy looked at her over her shoulder. "Have you visited the manor again, since your father…?"

Lucy turned to hide away a grimace. If she didn't want to talk about her worries over Natsu, she most definitely didn't want to talk about her father.

"I don't know if I can. That place… It doesn't mean the same to me as this apartment does to you."

Levy nodded, slowly, pondering.

Lucy knew she was trying to be cautious, but there were certain subjects that no amount of delicacy could soften. In a day as calm as this, the last thing she wanted was to press on old wounds.

But Levy insisted, "It's still the last place you ever saw your parents, where you grew up."

"My father lost all his money." Lucy started covering the picture frames in bubble wrap, pulling it tight across the glass. "Who knows what might have happened to the house?"

A hand touched hers, easing her hold on the frame. Levy was looking up at her with dark, worried eyes.

"Shouldn't you find out?"

Lucy stared blankly at her, then shifted her gaze to the other side of the room. "Maybe, maybe not. Can we not talk about this today?" She forced a smile. "I mean, look at all of this." She gestured to a lacrima crystal, which had spells glued to its surface. "What even is all of this?"

Levy didn't look appeased, but she moved towards the crystal. "It's something I've been working on. Cana has helped a lot with it." She lifted it to show where a spell had been carved into the rock.

Lucy blinked.

"You were trying to _see_ the future?"

"Sort of?" She fumbled with the weight of the lacrima. "We were investigating how magic transfers to objects, like what you and Cana do with the keys and the cards. People specialize in creating objects that can contain pre-existent magic. Your keys are from the celestial plane, but Cana's cards were an heirloom."

"But this is prediction magic. I remember some of it from the books Cana never bothers to read."

Levy grimaced. "A little, I guess. Mostly, it has to do with the tracing magic she used when we were in Tenrou. We thought the lacrima would be a good idea, but it hasn't shown us much so far. We're thinking of asking Gray to help us create something which is inherently magic."

Lucy considered this. "You want to keep the crystalized matrix but to have it constructed as something that comes from magic, so that it might support magic. Which is different from the lacrima, because that's just an enchanted rock."

"Exactly." She gave Lucy the lacrima, going back to finish packing the other objects. "Prediction magic is a bit less tangible than the words I usually use, so it's given me some trouble."

Lucy wrapped the lacrima, then made sure it was separated with the other fragiles.

"You were thinking of exploring it as a way to tell the future or...?"

"Danger," Levy answered in a hardened tone. "We were thinking that we would like to know if there was ever a danger like Acnologia again." She paused, and Lucy knew she was taking a moment to steady her voice. "We wanted to be aware, if certain death was coming for us."

"Hey!" Lucy called out. "We survived it, didn't we?"

Levy took a deep breath. "Yeah." She shook her head, a smile on her lips. "So, what do you think?"

"I think…" Lucy watched as Gajeel appeared at the doorway, leaning against it. "I think Gajeel is a lucky guy, to be moving in with the smartest person I've ever met."

He gave his usual cackle, and the energy in the room shifted.

"Yeah, well," he grinned, "with her brain and my brawn, our kids are gonna be fucking unstoppable."

Levy swathed at him, but smiled nonetheless. "You start talking about kids right now and I'm going to throw you out the window." She liked hearing him talk about their future together, Lucy knew, but it still embarrassed her terribly.

Gajeel smirked.

He knew it, too.

"As you wish, shrimp. You girls ready to go? Looks like everything's packed."

And sure enough, it was. They had worked quickly, in spite of their joint distraction.

Lucy looked around one last time, at this place where she'd spent so many hours with Levy poring over books and spells. It could be hers, if she wanted it, but something stopped her.

Levy might be ready to leave and move on with her life, but Lucy still wanted to hold on to what she had. The future – in all its frightening changes – would have to wait.

* * *

The following days were quiet. The city had emptied once the party had passed and the travellers arriving at the guild now were merely merchants and traders, curious over the most hectic mages of Fiore.

Lucy watched as Romeo and his father entertained a travelling family. Natsu, too, had found his way into their spectacle and the three laughed as the children clapped.

"He's really good with kids. I forget that."

Cana hummed in agreement. "That's cause Natsu is also a kid, twenty-one or not." She laid a card on the table between them. "Gildarts is like that too. It's probably where he got it from."

Lucy turned back to her. "How's Gildarts, anyway? I thought he would come for the party, but he disappeared at the last minute."

Cana shrugged.

"You know how the old fart is. He found a job or whatever, but he'll come back. He's always either glued to my hip or a thousand miles away."

The blonde chuckled. "He means well, though."

"Yeah, yeah," Cana waved her off, "might be nice to have him be less clingy, though."

"Count your blessings," said Lucy. "At least it's Gildarts, not Macao." She pointed to where said man was spurting juice through his nose.

"You trynna give me nightmares?" The two pretended to shiver with disgust, before breaking into laughter.

"Ok, no, seriously. How come I haven't seen you with Gildarts lately?" Lucy pressed.

The smile slipped away from her friend's face, replaced by something doubtful.

"We're never getting that, Lucy." Cana motioned back to the group. One of the men of the travelling family had a boy on his shoulders and Romeo was trying to discourage his father, who had decided he must try the same with his grown son. "Parents love their children the best they can, and if this is all Gildarts can give me, that's ok. It's more than I'd expected."

Lucy nodded absently. While she could understand it to a certain degree, her own memories couldn't be so quickly set aside. She knew, in an objective way, that her father had loved her, despite how he'd acted in her earlier years. Her hurt towards him was a living force still, merged to their past and tainting the image of his later actions.

Natsu's laughter pulled her out of her thoughts. He had a child on each arm and swung them softly while Macao pretended to shy away from his blows.

He, too, had abandoned her once.

It was a strange thing to remember, but it was true. Natsu had been the one who was supposed to stay, until he simply didn't, and that was another wound that she hadn't completely recovered from.

She didn't mean to sound bitter about it, but there were moments when she couldn't stop herself.

Fairy Tail was her family, but they were wild, most couldn't be kept in the same place for more than a year at a time. She could see why Cana had accepted the kind of affection Gildarts had given her: he was a wanderer, but, for her, he would always come back.

For all of their similarities, Lucy had never thought Natsu would take up the same antics. Disappearing without a trace, coming back a year later... It might look romantic for an outsider, but she was the only one who knew how much she had suffered.

The guild could go, but he and Happy should have stayed.

Lucy rubbed her eyes, tired of her thoughts. Cana had finished pulling cards from her deck and was studying them carefully, which seemed like a less difficult situation to contemplate.

"What are you doing?"

The other girl held up her hand, scanning the arrangement one last time.

"I'm trying to figure out what's wrong with you."

Lucy frowned. "You are not."

Cana smirked. "I'm not." She repositioned one of the cards. "That would be a waste of an evening. I could be drinking."

"You've been drinking since I got here. Quietly, which is why I'm asking what happened. You're never quiet when you're this drunk."

"I haven't even started my second barrel." She finally looked up at Lucy. "I wanted to be somewhat sober when I looked into this." She slipped a card across the table. "What does this look like to you?"

Lucy picked up the card, where a man hung upside down.

"Like a horror story." Cana narrowed her eyes at her. "Fine. A hanged man. It says right there."

"Yes, and this is the star." She turned one of the other cards towards Lucy. There was a woman in it, with flowing hair and her hands cupped around something bright. "But this is not tarot, this is my magic." Cana pulled back the card. "So this is you," she pointed to the one Lucy still held. "And that's whatever is wrong."

Lucy gave it back to her. "You said you weren't reading it for me."

"Did you shuffle the deck?" Cana asked in a deadpan. "I like doing spreads to see what's going on in Magnolia, but you kept popping up."

"How do you know it's me?"

"I just do. I feel it. My magic is infused in the cards, so it's easy to know when the interpretation shifts. That's why I can make my own cards."

Lucy nodded. "Levy mentioned something about that. She said the two of you were working with prediction magic of some sort."

Cana took a sip of her drink and the two watched as Mira approached the family's table.

"Yeah, she wanted to create an alarm, I think, but the lacrima isn't helping much. It can connect to other lacrimas, sure, but the most we've gotten it to do was tap into archived images."

"What do you –?" Lucy was interrupted by Mira, who stood at her side, clearing their table. "Oh, hi. Sorry," she turned once more to Cana. "What do you mean?"

"I mean..." Cana rolled her eyes, "that we can sometimes see images from places another lacrima has been, even when it wasn't connected to ours, as long as we've gotten it under the same spells."

"That sounds incredible!" Lucy said in astonishment.

"That sounds dangerous," Mira interjected. The other two turned to her. "Don't you think it can be used against us, if someone learns how to manipulate it?" She smiled kindly. "I know people like saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, but that sounds so tricky. Interpretation is such a delicate thing, is it not?" She lowered her eyes to Cana's cards, which were still spread across the table, before sauntering off to meet a couple of customers who had just arrived.

Cana spared her a last glance, already pulling another barrel of beer from under the table. "Well, that wasn't ominous."

Lucy snickered. "She isn't wrong."

"Eh," Cana flipped one of the cards. "Mira worries and that's fine, but a mage's gotta do what a mage's gotta do." Her mouth twisted into a dangerous grin. "If not, where would the fun be?"

The blonde sighed, but she understood. They had all taken stupid risks once or twice, so it wasn't her place to admonish Cana over her and Levy's choices.

Lucy looked back to the family. Macao and Romeo had moved on, but Natsu was still talking to one of the men. He pointed at an open map, probably showing how they should continue their trip, and Lucy couldn't help but smile at the sight.

The evening felt strangely tranquil.

"Anyway, I have to go pack. I've a job tomorrow." Cana grimaced. "At dawn, 'cause the train schedule in this town is a shit show." She put down her barrel, hurriedly throwing the cards back into her bag. "You and Natsu turning in for the night, too?"

She said it without any mean intentions, without any new inflections, but the assumption made Lucy bristle. Her hands closed into fists on her lap, but she tried her best not to let her irritation shine through in her response to Cana.

"I don't know about Natsu," she answered, smiling the best she could, "but I think I'll go with you."

If Cana found this odd, she didn't say, for which Lucy was grateful, and the two parted at the gates with wishes of a good night.

* * *

Lucy had just finished changing into a T-shirt and shorts when she heard their voices. They were in her room, as usual, and Happy was trying to pull something through her window, almost knocking a shivering Plue with his carelessness.

"What exactly are you doing?" she asked, more curious than annoyed.

Natsu looked at her over his shoulder with a grin that was both a little ridiculous and a little endearing. "It's the plant!"

Lucy blinked. "The plant?"

"The plant, Lu-cy! Because of the one we broke!" Happy said through clenched teeth, still pulling.

She grabbed onto his end of the bag and, with Natsu's help, was able to get the large vase onto her windowsill.

"You realize I can't have this, right?" She eyed the plant wearily. It took up roughly her entire window, with blooming branches that reached up and into her curtains. "It's gigantic."

Natsu laughed.

"Don't be silly. It's supposed to go inside." He picked it up and shuffled with it towards one corner of the room. "There."

In spite of herself, Lucy did think the plant looked beautiful. The small yellow flowers gave off a sweet perfume without it being overwhelming and the colors brightened the room.

She exhaled tiredly. "Thank you, guys. It's perfect."

This pleased Happy, because he flopped down on her bed and grinned. Plue stumbled after him. "It reminded us of you!"

Lucy smiled, a bit touched. "Because of my hair?"

"No," he chimed in, "because it's so heavy!"

Lucy narrowed her eyes at him, but as she lifted her fists in his directions, she felt arms wrap around her middle, securing her to Natsu's chest.

"He's kidding, Luce." He laughed, and she felt it against her back, in the warm breath against her ear.

She disentangled herself from him, but managed to stop herself from overreacting. Natsu was an affectionate person, but never overly touchy with her, which didn't help her stuttering heart when he took her by surprise like this.

"You pamper him." Lucy moved towards the kitchen.

"As if you don't," he shot back.

She glared at his continuous grin.

"Why are you even here?" Lucy opened her fridge and took out one of the fish dishes she'd left frozen for Happy. She would have to restock soon if they decided to keep visiting.

"No reason." Natsu passed her one of the pans, stopping to peek into the container. "Pampering…" he sing-sang.

She pushed him lightly and smiled as he walked past her to set the table.

A paw on her leg alerted Lucy to Plue, who had come in at some point. She stirred the pan once more, then scooped a bit of sauce for him to taste.

"Ooh," Happy exclaimed, "I want some too!"

Natsu grabbed onto his tail. "Not so quick!" He laughed. "You're gonna topple it over again and you know how Lucy gets when that happens."

Lucy humphed. "You guys almost burned me last time!" She took the pan away from the fire, which prompted Natsu to bring their plates over for her to fill them. "This is what I get for feeding you."

"You get our company." Happy smiled at her, making Lucy snort.

"Because I asked for that?" she asked playfully, but Happy was already too busy eating to respond. She sat down with them and, for that moment, they fell into comfortable silence.

After dinner, however, Lucy was ready to go to bed. The day had exhausted her emotionally and the comfort of an early night seemed inviting.

"You can't sleep here," she warned as she watched Natsu start to doze off in his chair. He had cleaned the dishes for her, which she suspected was his way to get on her good side.

Happy stopped munching on the fish bones to frown at her. "Why not? We've done it before."

"I just don't want you to, cat." Lucy got up. The food had made her drowsy, but Cana and Erza's words still rung in her ears. She simply wasn't in the mood to wake up the next day with a half-naked dragon slayer splayed over her bed. His scent would linger, she knew, even with the flowers, like the forest fire that he was.

"Is something wrong?"

It wasn't usual for Happy to have serious conversations with her, and his concerned tone immediately softened her irritation. Lucy hadn't meant to make him feel bad, in spite of how harsh she might have sounded.

"No, I'm sorry." She scratched under his chin. "It's been a long month."

Happy nodded as if he understood. "July is difficult for Natsu, too." His gaze fell on the pink-haired mage, who snored lightly. "You made it easier."

He looked like he wanted to say more, but Natsu stirred, then opened his eyes with a grunt.

"Come to bed, Luce," he whispered, already hobbling across the room.

Lucy got up to intercept him, "Where do you think you're going?"

He stared at her for a second, eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "To bed?"

"And didn't I tell you to stay away from my bed?" She crossed her arms over her chest.

"C'mon, Lu-cy," he whined, trying to sidestep her. "You know I'll end up there, anyway."

She looked to where Happy still sat and wondered how they could have gone from such a heartfelt moment to this in a matter of seconds. Natsu truly knew how to test her patience.

"No! I know no such thing! If you like my bed so much, buy one for yourself, don't come here!"

Happy flew over to them. "But we're always here. What would we do with a bed in the forest?"

She didn't turn to him and, instead, directed her glare at Natsu.

"You can have the couch. You can have all my blankets and build yourself a fort. I don't care! Just let me sleep in peace."

Natsu sighed, a smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth.

"Sure," he stated, though not all that convincingly. "As you wish, Lucy."

It was the wrong thing to say, or the wrong way to say it. Lucy was reminded of Gajeel, three days earlier, taunting Levy with those exact words, and her temper flared.

"Out!" Natsu blinked at her, unmoving. "I said out!" She shoved him until he was out of the kitchen, and Natsu seemed to catch on to her ire, because he offered no further resistance as Lucy pushed him and Happy out the door.

Once out of her apartment, he turned to her. Irritation and worry mixed in his expression, but she didn't want to hear whatever else he had to say. Lucy knew they would end up calming her down, if she let them.

"Luce, what–?"

"No, ok?" she said, softly this time. "Just don't."

Happy pouted, squaring his shoulders like he was ready to start a fight, but Natsu's previous resolve melted away at her tone. He scowled, gave his back to her, and proceeded down the hall, calling for the exceed to come along.

With one last hurt look towards Lucy, Happy followed.

Once they were out of view, she closed the door and rested her back against it. Although a part of her could recognize her actions had been a bit over the top, a largest part was just relieved to have this time alone. Lately, her entire life had seemed to revolve around Natsu and this wasn't a great feeling to have.

Lucy stepped towards her bed.

There was an energy inside her chest that ached for this night to end, so she laid down, brought her arm up to cover her eyes. A breeze was blowing through her curtains and, in the warmth, it was welcome, but her frazzled state of mind sent a shiver down her spine. She lowered her arm and watched the light material of the curtains undulate over her head.

Then, she sat up and closed the window.

* * *

 **Hello, I'm sorry if this chapter took longer than I intended. In my defense, it's also longer than I wanted it to be, so I hope you guys will forgive me. Anyway, I hope you like this. A big thanks to everybody who has started following this story and an even bigger thanks to those who reviewed because you know feedback is life.**

 **I hope you are all having a fantastic July.**


End file.
